Early the following day, Kurashi woke up to the soft rays of the morning sun. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he turned on his side, noticing a note resting on his nightstand.
Reaching over, he picked it up. The handwriting was neat yet casual.
"Morning, Kurashi. Training starts today, near the cliff where we first met. Also, there's some food in the fridge you can have. Eat up—you'll need it."
Setting the note aside, Kurashi exhaled through his nose and pushed the covers off.
The morning air was crisp as he approached the cliff edge. There he saw Hikari shadow sparring, sweat glistening on his face as if he had been there for a while.
Without pausing, Hikari glanced over his shoulder.
"What's up? You ready to start?"
"Yeah...I think so."
"Good. I want you to start with some stretching. Don't want you catching a cramp mid-session."
"What are we doing?" Kurashi asked quietly as he pulled his arms back, stretching out his shoulders.
"Oh, right...Your regiment's simple—four-mile run, six hundred push-ups, then a forty-minute sparring session. It's simple but we'll stick with it for now."
The training began.
Despite his early endurance, he quickly felt the strain.
Every step of the run blurred from the lack of oxygen.
Every push-up burned as he pushed closer to failure.
And after finishing his workout, drained from the exertion, he kneeled to catch his breath.
Hikari clapped his hands.
"Alright, now that the warm-up is over. Time for the real training."
"Warm-up?"
"Stand up Kurashi...the session starts now."
Kurashi stood up slowly, his legs weak from the run.
"Draw your blade," Hikari ordered as he pulled the kunai from his leg holster.
Kurashi hesitated before unsheathing his katana, letting it rest at his side.
At the same moment, Hikari flipped his kunai into a reverse grip, holding it steady in front of his eyes. Then, a sudden spark of blue electricity surged beneath Hikari's feet.
Before Kurashi could blink, Hikari vanished.
A warm sensation spread across his torso. Slowly touching his chest, Kurashi looked down to see his fingertips stained with blood.
Glancing over his shoulder, Hikari stood with blue lightning crackling faintly around his body.
"Don't let your guard down...Vigilance is the difference between life and death."
In a flash, Hikari moved again.
A streak of lightning.
A blur of motion.
Each attack came from a different angle—too quick to track.
Unable to withstand the perpetual attacks, his body gave out, crumbling to the ground.
His vision blurred.
"Is this where you fall?"
With no response, Hikari let out a quiet sigh, turning around to leave.
But then—he stopped.
As he glanced back, he saw Kurashi, bloodied and battered, trying to stand once more. There was a glare of surprise in Hikari's eyes, an acknowledgment of Kurashi's resilience.
"That's more like it..."
Hikari flipped the kunai back out into his grip.
Kurashi's grip on his katana tightened, dragging the blade against the ground to force himself upright.
Hikari dashed forward.
The final strike came—fast, precise, deadly.
In a split second, steel met steel.
Kurashi deflected the oncoming attack, his sense momentarily sharpened. With a swift motion, he countered with an ascending slash, the blade of his katana slicing through the air with deadly precision.
In a burst of crackling speed, Hikari evaded the attack.
Kurashi had no strength left to follow-up, succumbing to his wounds as he fell to the ground.
Hikari stood above him.
"He deflected my attack?"
His grip on the kunai tightened slightly.
"Without any prior training?"
Slowly regaining his consciousness, the sterile scent of a hospital filled Kurashi's senses. He was unable to move, his bandaged body heavy from the intense training. The room was dim, a single window casting a soft glow on the pale walls.
"You awake?"
That voice
It was Hikari, sitting in a nearby chair, arms crossed over his chest.
The door then creaked open, a nurse breaking the silence as she walked in. Her white coat swayed slightly as she glanced down at her notepad.
"Sir Hikari, please exercise more caution with your future training. We don't need unnecessary injuries at the base."
"I know, I know…" Hikari exhaled, rubbing his temple. "Sorry for the inconvenience."
The nurse's eyes narrowed on Kurashi before returning to her notes.
"The wounds were severe—excessive for mere training. Fortunately, he's recovering rather quickly. The wounds should be healed within a few days."
"Understood." Hikari nodded in acknowledgment.
"I'll be going now. Please call if you need anything." The nurse stated while exiting the room.
After a moment, Hikari leaned back in his chair.
"Kurashi, what you're going through...It's essential."
Kurashi blinked. "Essential?"
"Look, I've told you before...your potential is only obtainable by putting in the proper training," Hikari said while walking over to the door. "It won't be easy...but nothing of value ever is."
Three days later, Hikari made his way to the main office. As he entered the room, he cleared his throat to announce his presence, prompting the leader to look up from his paperwork.
"You asked for me?" Hikari questioned, hands tucked behind his back.
"I did..." Lord Fuijta responded while putting his pen down. "I wanted to know how the training was coming along."
"Just as expected, Sir. He is already showing a lot of promise."
"I see...You must be pushing him very hard. I heard he's in the hospital."
"Yes, sir."
"His status?"
"Full recovery...dismissed earlier this morning."
"Hmmm, that's good to hear."
A moment of silence.
"Lord...am I really the right person for this?"
Lord Fujita leaned back slightly, studying Hikari with a knowing expression.
"Hikari, you need to have some more confidence in yourself. You weren't chosen just because of your past training—you were chosen because I believe you are the best fit for this. Kurashi has a lot to live up to, yes, but only someone with both strength and understanding can bring it out of him...And that someone is you."
"Yeah...I guess you're right." Hikari responded, lowering his gaze. "Thank you for your considerate words, Lord Fujita."
Though he acknowledged the sentiment, a small doubt still lingered in his mind as he left the office.
Back at the house, Kurashi walked into the bathroom, the sound of the water breaking the silence. With practiced ease, Kurashi unfastened the bandages wrapped around his torso and wrists, the fabric unwinding to reveal the skin beneath. Stepping into the shower, the hot water gently rained from above. Kurashi closed his eyes, letting the sensation of the falling water envelop him. After getting out of the shower, Kurashi changed into nightwear: a white t-shirt and plaid pajamas.
"Kurashi, come here for a minute." Hikari's voice rang out from the kitchen.
Sliding the door open, Kurashi walked in to see Hikari cooking at the stove.
"Sit down, the food is almost done."
Sitting at the table, Kurashi silently waited for his meal to be prepared.
"How are your wounds?" Are they fully healed?"
"Yeah...I think so."
"That's good to hear...That means you can start your training back up tomorrow morning."
Hikari turns to the kitchen table with a plate in his right hand, gradually setting the meal down in front of Kurashi.
"4:30 a.m., be at the cliff edge," Hikari stated as he walked back to his room.
Kurashi had just gotten out of the hospital, but it seemed he may be going right back.